Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

Better Late Then Never

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

The film definitely is a masterpiece if it comes down to demonstrate the irrationality of cold war rationality. How better to illustrate that cold war rationality only works out if all players involved always act rationally. Should we really be surprised about someone getting paranoid with all the ongoing propaganda involved?Also the action that follows the lonesome and paranoid decision of General Ripper to launch a nuclear attack is strongly influenced by emotions and human weaknesses that are hardly compatible with cold war rationality. In the Pentagon war room General Turgidson (great performance by George C. Scott) wants to return as quickly as possible to his girlfriend, the Soviet president turns out to be drunk, commander Kong of the decisive B52 bomber is taking his decisions based on a Texan cowboy attitude and Dr. Strangelove, the scientific advisor to the US government, turns out to be a left over screwy Nazi, just to name a view. This may seem to be a bit overdone but when watching the movie it does not seem to be completely unrealistic, especially when compared to some actual political narcissisms and in the end, the movie is meant to be a sharp satire. Only be aware that the laughter may get stuck in your throat.The only safe harbors with concern to rationality seem to be the American president Muffley and the British Group Captain Mandrake, both convincingly plaid by Peter Sellers. Unfortunately this will not be enough to prevent the catastrophe, also owing to the safety precautions that were originally designed to correct lonesome misjudgments but which are paranoid in themselves.Quite remarkable is also the fact, that the movie is almost entirely restricted to 3 locations, i.e. military air base Burpelson, the war room in the Pentagon and the interior of a B52 bomber. This is enough to tell the whole story, in which also a Coca Cola vending machine plays an important role besides the fluoridation of water, but see for yourself.

I've have seen this movie three times and l didn't find a masterpiece,a really good movie certainly it is,the unique character whose we could call funny is Dr. Strangelove with your german accent and mannerism,in very short appareance by the way,apart from that all character are quite normal,maybe George C Scott as General has a strong desire to destroy URSS,the phone calling conversation between USA's president and URSS's premier is quite funny,Slim Pickens must be remembered for a good action as a crazy pilot,Trace Reed is eyewash for such sexy single scene...but over it call a masterpiece has a huge distance....8 out 10 fit in perfectly!!!Resume:First watch: 1983 / How many: 3 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 8

The year is 1964. The world is starting to regain his consciousness fro WW2 and just entered the Cold War era. People are full of fear about the nuclear war. And in those days were the American film industry was launching movies about spies and Russian espionage, one of the greatest (if not the greatest) movie director of all time creates also a movie about nuclear war only this one is a bit... different. "Dr. Strangelove" is not a film that glorifies America neither Russia. Is a film that satires both this countries and the "ideology" of war in general. Peter Sellers is doing one of the best performances of his whole carrier in his triple role in the film; As group captain Lionel Mandrake a British RAF exchange soldiers who has the bad luck of being locked in the same room with the maniac that launched the attack, as President of the United States Merkin Muffley and Dr. Strangelove a former Nazi and now nuclear war expert. All three of this roles are presented excellent from one of the most talented actors ever. All of them are caricatures and are mocking the principles that each one represent. Also we have an amazing performance by George C. Scott in the role of General Buck Turgidson an aggressive and jingoist Chief of Staff. But this is not a movie which is only worthy for the performances. The topic is so modern even for today's standards that makes this film so accurate is almost scary. While it's a comedic film it is not funny. It's hilarious of course because of the characters and the amazing dialogue, but in the back of your mind you know that it's not the characters that you are laughing with but the human stupidity. And there's a lot of human stupidity in this film. Watch it, have fun, but above all think.

I wanted to watch this film because I was interested in famous movies by some famous directors. Found Stanley Kubrick, cause I don't know about him much, and began to watch "Dr. Strangelove..." in English with English subs. I understood all the stuff that was happening: nuclear bombs thrown on Soviet Union, some warriors, presidents, an ambassador from USSR(who was a stereotypical Communist, atheist and was awfully looking, the actor who played him couldn't speak Russian at all, and spoke with an awful accent). Secondly, the main protagonists, the US soldiers were speaking about Russians like "they drink only vodka, blah-blah-blah...". Yes, movie was made while the "Cold War was all around, but I didn't enjoy it and dropped in the middle. And there was a moment with a woman ONLY in underwear who spoke on the phone! That was really ridiculous!